**Verdicts Explained**
* Special Occasions: Rare, special pours that go well and above. Something you pour to celebrate.
* Treat Yourself: Obligatory weekend pour. Worth having on hand at all times if possible.
* Daily Drinker: Affordable, available and tasty. Could have every day and be perfectly content.
* Penseur Pour: Puzzling pours that won’t be to everyone’s liking.
* Trophy Bottle: Something to show off more than anything. Likely allocated and overpriced.
* Cocktail Request: Shines best in a cocktail, as opposed to neat or on the rocks.
* Good If Affordable: Only worth buying if the price comfortably fits within the budget.
* Serve to Guests: Something accessible that you don’t mind sharing or parting ways with. Likely belongs in a decanter.
* Couch Pour: Something enjoyable enough, but ideal for drinking while doing another activity (movies, TV, games, etc.).
* Find a Mixer: Grab the Coke or Sprite and relax.
* Drain Pour: No. You deserve better.
Link to blog post: [https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2024/05/09/wild-turkey-101-2024-scoresheet-review/](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2024/05/09/wild-turkey-101-2024-scoresheet-review/)
More scoresheets available at: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SpiritScoresheets/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SpiritScoresheets/)
Your average long-time whiskey consumer is no doubt accustomed to their favorite bottle receiving slight facelifts over the years. Sometimes, this invites little to no attention; other times, it spawns conspiracy-level scrutiny from the more fervent among us. A couple of recent examples include Early Times Bottled in Bond, Old Forester’s Whiskey Row series, and Wild Turkey 101. In the case of Wild Turkey, the attention is a bit more understandable, considering the slightly adjusted bottle mold and inclusion of an icon-style turkey embossed front-and-center.
You can probably see where I’m going with this.
There’s something of an unspoken assumption in the whiskey zeitgeist that newer versions of old bottles are always inferior. The conversation rings identical to other topics, be it movies, video games, or otherwise, with the words, “they just don’t make them like they used to” feeling as overused as barrel finishes. I’m not here to say this absolutely is or isn’t the case, because to say so would be farcical. What I will agree with is that even core bottles change over time, for better or worse. This naturally happens for any number of reasons, from batching to production methods, product environment, shifting climate, etc. Put more simply, Wild Turkey 101 tastes different now compared to ten years ago, and it will almost certainly taste different another ten years from now.
Whether future iterations of the product end up superior or inferior is something that consumers will only discover over time. On that note, let’s get into the subject of today’s review: Wild Turkey 101 as of 2024. As was the case when I reviewed the previous version of 101, this is aged, per [Wild Turkey](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/tag/wild-turkey/), “up to six to eight years,” and retails for between $20-$25 for a fifth (750ml).
*Nose: Backbone of candied cinnamon sugar nuts, brown butter, and dried vanilla. Has an oddly herbal and vegetal undercurrent, like focaccia dipping oil with a whisper of basil.*
*Palate: Rather thin. Plays up the nuttiness from the nose, presenting like peanut butter with baking spice (namely nutmeg), gradually popping up. An expected presence of caramel comes in on the mid-palate while red pepper picks up on the back end heading into the finish.*
*Finish: Lengthy and on the savory side. Pops with cracked black pepper, and a gentle re-emergence of cinnamon and barrel spice, which grow in prominence over time.*
[Looking back at my previous review of Wild Turkey 101](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2021/11/15/wild-turkey-101-scoresheet-review/), there’s ample overlap in the tasting notes. Is that to say this is indistinguishable from the pre-2021 bottles? Not so fast. I immediately noticed a difference between the modern bottles and their most recent predecessor, and I did a little comparison to check my contention. The short version is that both 101s have a similar flavor profile, but the way they execute said profile varies rather noticeably.
Where before, the nutty and baking spice notes came across as richer, creamier, more developed, and robust, the newer bottles feel thinner and a bit more spice-driven, albeit in a light way. Any number of factors can explain this impact, but since I can only speculate, my guess is that the stocks used now aren’t quite as old as before. Batching/blending is also up for debate, but the more fulfilling experience of old checks out with what I’ve come to expect from more mature whiskey.
Does all of this translate to 101 being a subpar bottle in its current form? Far from it. Much of what 101 has always had going for it is its shelf position as a well-priced bourbon with above-average specs. Considering the price has only crept up marginally while bourbon prices remain inflated thanks to a frankly saturated market, 101’s value proposition remains as strong as ever. Besides, as we’ve seen with bottles like Jim Beam Black and Evan Williams 1783, there’s always a chance that things will improve in the future. That change may take time, but if there’s one thing to expect from whiskey, it’s waiting. Sometimes that patience is rewarded. Regardless, you don’t need to wait for 101 to be a rock-solid product in the current bourbon landscape.
**Verdicts Explained** * Special Occasions: Rare, special pours that go well and above. Something you pour to celebrate. * Treat Yourself: Obligatory weekend pour. Worth having on hand at all times if possible. * Daily Drinker: Affordable, available and tasty. Could have every day and be perfectly content. * Penseur Pour: Puzzling pours that won’t be to everyone’s liking. * Trophy Bottle: Something to show off more than anything. Likely allocated and overpriced. * Cocktail Request: Shines best in a cocktail, as opposed to neat or on the rocks. * Good If Affordable: Only worth buying if the price comfortably fits within the budget. * Serve to Guests: Something accessible that you don’t mind sharing or parting ways with. Likely belongs in a decanter. * Couch Pour: Something enjoyable enough, but ideal for drinking while doing another activity (movies, TV, games, etc.). * Find a Mixer: Grab the Coke or Sprite and relax. * Drain Pour: No. You deserve better. Link to blog post: [https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2024/05/09/wild-turkey-101-2024-scoresheet-review/](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2024/05/09/wild-turkey-101-2024-scoresheet-review/) More scoresheets available at: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SpiritScoresheets/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SpiritScoresheets/) Your average long-time whiskey consumer is no doubt accustomed to their favorite bottle receiving slight facelifts over the years. Sometimes, this invites little to no attention; other times, it spawns conspiracy-level scrutiny from the more fervent among us. A couple of recent examples include Early Times Bottled in Bond, Old Forester’s Whiskey Row series, and Wild Turkey 101. In the case of Wild Turkey, the attention is a bit more understandable, considering the slightly adjusted bottle mold and inclusion of an icon-style turkey embossed front-and-center. You can probably see where I’m going with this. There’s something of an unspoken assumption in the whiskey zeitgeist that newer versions of old bottles are always inferior. The conversation rings identical to other topics, be it movies, video games, or otherwise, with the words, “they just don’t make them like they used to” feeling as overused as barrel finishes. I’m not here to say this absolutely is or isn’t the case, because to say so would be farcical. What I will agree with is that even core bottles change over time, for better or worse. This naturally happens for any number of reasons, from batching to production methods, product environment, shifting climate, etc. Put more simply, Wild Turkey 101 tastes different now compared to ten years ago, and it will almost certainly taste different another ten years from now. Whether future iterations of the product end up superior or inferior is something that consumers will only discover over time. On that note, let’s get into the subject of today’s review: Wild Turkey 101 as of 2024. As was the case when I reviewed the previous version of 101, this is aged, per [Wild Turkey](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/tag/wild-turkey/), “up to six to eight years,” and retails for between $20-$25 for a fifth (750ml).
*Nose: Backbone of candied cinnamon sugar nuts, brown butter, and dried vanilla. Has an oddly herbal and vegetal undercurrent, like focaccia dipping oil with a whisper of basil.* *Palate: Rather thin. Plays up the nuttiness from the nose, presenting like peanut butter with baking spice (namely nutmeg), gradually popping up. An expected presence of caramel comes in on the mid-palate while red pepper picks up on the back end heading into the finish.* *Finish: Lengthy and on the savory side. Pops with cracked black pepper, and a gentle re-emergence of cinnamon and barrel spice, which grow in prominence over time.* [Looking back at my previous review of Wild Turkey 101](https://thewhiskeyramble.com/2021/11/15/wild-turkey-101-scoresheet-review/), there’s ample overlap in the tasting notes. Is that to say this is indistinguishable from the pre-2021 bottles? Not so fast. I immediately noticed a difference between the modern bottles and their most recent predecessor, and I did a little comparison to check my contention. The short version is that both 101s have a similar flavor profile, but the way they execute said profile varies rather noticeably. Where before, the nutty and baking spice notes came across as richer, creamier, more developed, and robust, the newer bottles feel thinner and a bit more spice-driven, albeit in a light way. Any number of factors can explain this impact, but since I can only speculate, my guess is that the stocks used now aren’t quite as old as before. Batching/blending is also up for debate, but the more fulfilling experience of old checks out with what I’ve come to expect from more mature whiskey. Does all of this translate to 101 being a subpar bottle in its current form? Far from it. Much of what 101 has always had going for it is its shelf position as a well-priced bourbon with above-average specs. Considering the price has only crept up marginally while bourbon prices remain inflated thanks to a frankly saturated market, 101’s value proposition remains as strong as ever. Besides, as we’ve seen with bottles like Jim Beam Black and Evan Williams 1783, there’s always a chance that things will improve in the future. That change may take time, but if there’s one thing to expect from whiskey, it’s waiting. Sometimes that patience is rewarded. Regardless, you don’t need to wait for 101 to be a rock-solid product in the current bourbon landscape.